- Dusky Eastbourne Seafront -
Our East Sussex story starts on Sunday 25th January with a nominal departure time of 09:10 from Wolverhampton's Faulkland Street coach station. Our steed actually arrives remarkably early and then makes reasonably rapid progress - via Dudley and Frankley Services - along the M5, M40, M25 and A27 with a halfway stop at Beaconsfield (no, I didn't partake of the on site service station Wetherspoons). Checking into Daish's Imperial Hotel at circa half past two, there's scope for some initial Eastbourne exploration prior to our evening meal. The Cornfield Garage supplies refreshment in the form of Rebellion Brewery's Smuggler ale in a building that until 1976 had been a landmark car showroom. Fed and watered back at our lodgings, Stephen and I then take a dusky seafront stroll to ponder below-the-pier murals denoting appropriate recycling of plastics, slotting in a quick dash of Little Chelsea as Eastbourne's quaint Victorian quarter makes an immediate impression.
- Mr Beardsmore on the Ouse -
Monday 26th January is the big day in terms of family celebrations, with Grandad receiving cards, cake and a 90th birthday balloon either side of enjoying a trundle off to the bookies. Mr B and I otherwise dedicate the day to Lewes, a timeless county town that retains more than its fair share of independent family businesses and is all the better for it. Catching the 09:55 train over (once the driver had turned up), we cover the full length of the High Street from Cliffe at the eastern end to the Old Grammar School and St Anne's Church to the west. Along the way we note the River Ouse, Lewes Town Hall, the Con Club and a succession of route 28 buses. Several of the buildings have connections to Thomas Paine, whose philosophical writings on politics proved highly influential during the American Revolution. One of the local hostelries is called the Rights of Man while the White Hart proclaims itself the cradle of US independence.
- Castle Gate, Lewes -
The entire town centre is dominated by Lewes Castle standing ruined on its mound. This 11th century fortification was originally erected after the Norman Conquest and is noted for having two mottes as part of its phased construction. Winter opening times apply so the museum can only accept visitors on weekends for the moment; Castle Gate does at least allow views of the stonework from afar and presents an attractive thoroughfare in its own right, traversing lamplit arches. We follow the cobbles past the castle's associated bowling green - said to have been in use for over three centuries - to reach the Lewes Arms, a superb find which has rightfully earned entry into the 2026 Good Beer Guide. Procuring Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (and Mr B's lemonade and blackcurrant) from the small front bar, we proceed into the side snug to sit among chopped logs and photos of the town's famous Bonfire Procession. Lewes has seven Bonfire Societies that oversee the annual November 5th festivities, marching the streets with martyrs' crosses all aglow. The gallery certainly makes it look spectacular!
- Harvey's Brewery -
Lewes is also home to the aforementioned Harveys, a family brewery that was founded in 1790 and is currently run by the seventh and eighth generations of their dynasty. I'm naturally keen to sample more of their wares so we check out the Gardeners Arms, a cosy narrow pub off Cliffe High Street where the XXXX Old Ale is excellent, then move around the corner into the John Harvey Tavern taphouse. Here the full range is gloriously showcased in appealing surroundings, hence the XX Dark Mild tickles my fancy and is served straight from the stillage behind the bar counter. Mr B and I decamp to a spare table cocooned inside a giant barrel to debate cricketing and footballing matters in the time-honoured way. Our Eastbourne evening then involves more family time with Grandad and my parents, playing bingo without much success and tackling the hotel's daily quiz by racking our brains to think of US states that begin with the letter 'C'. Let's just say we didn't win...
- Feline Friend in the Dolphin -
Onto Tuesday 27th January and Storm Chandra has been howling outside for hours, although other parts of the country seem to have had it worse. The weather remains foul for most of the morning so we stay indoors listening to the ODI cricket commentary from Colombo, England securing the welcome boost of a series win in Sri Lanka. Mr Beardsmore is certainly buoyed by that news as we stick around Eastbourne for the afternoon, venturing out to the London & County Wetherspoons for a lunchtime pint before casting our pub net elsewhere in town. The Dolphin was one of the Little Chelsea hostelries we'd spotted on Sunday night so a visit there makes sense, sampling Long Man's Old Man dark ale from a small brewery based in nearby Polegate. The resident ginger cat is not a creature to be ignored and literally demands regular floofing by miaowing at any unsuspecting customers - we are happy to follow its orders!
- The Saffrons -
Fine discoveries are to be had around Meads Road courtesy of Eastbourne Town Hall and the Caffyns dealership where vintage early motors such as a 1908 Morris Oxford are on display. The Saffrons is home to Eastbourne Town Football Club plus bowls, tennis, hockey and cricket provision so it's a serious sporting concern - I love the turnstile entrance kiosk with its painted embossed letters. Saffrons Road has flint-speckled stone walls as we access Dittons Road onto The Goffs, effectively flanking the edges of Gildredge Park. A rug repair shop catches Stephen's eye as we home in on Old Town, a historic district of Eastbourne which pre-dates the development of the Victorian seaside resort brought about by William Cavendish, the 7th Duke of Devonshire. The presence of an older settlement is indicated by the 12th century charms of St Mary's Church, one of two fascinating buildings that stand side by side.
- The Lamb, Old Town -
The second of these special structures is the Lamb, a wondrous watering hole that just looks the part with its black and white beams, monumental fireplaces and a well some 18 metres deep (or around 59 feet in old money). The cellars here are said to date to 1180, echoing the Norman construction of the church next door, and the pub as a whole is one of the oldest in the entire country. What's more, it's a Harvey's tied house and I've been developing a distinct liking for their ales all week. Armada gets the nod this time, served in impeccable condition, while sketch portraits of Eastbourne cricketers ensure Mr B is sufficiently placated too. The high backed benches are ecclesiastical in flavour and the medieval masonry is marvellous. Mealtime at the Imperial then precedes more Harvey's admiration in the guise of the Victoria Hotel, a backstreet boozer we managed to sample at the third time of asking. Whisky jugs, sherry butts and other ceramics create a memorable setting for gentle conversation.
- Eastbourne Pier -
The big news come Wednesday 28th January is that the sun has come out, and Eastbourne does look especially refined on an unseasonably springlike morning. I have the Pier almost all to myself, strolling along the boardwalk to get pictures of its different components including a Victorian tearoom, a tackle shop and gilded lanterns at frequent intervals. The seafront hotels have more sparkle about them suddenly, with elegant facades detectable from the Burlington, the Chatsworth and the Queens. I loop as far as the Redoubt Fortress, a formidable coastal defence built to guard against Napoleonic invasions but it currently appears to be disused if the museum it houses is no longer operating. It's then time to catch the bus to Hastings, the 99 being a Stagecoach route serving Pevensey Bay and Bexhill-on-Sea.
- St Clement's Church, Hastings -
We alight on Harold Place in Hastings town centre (on account of everybody else getting off) and immediately spot a couple of murals representing local musicians and the lifeboat; I don’t recognise any of the performers but it’s a visual treat regardless. Mom and Dad recommended the Old Town area as being the nicest bit of Hastings to investigate so Mr B and I aim there, noting hints of craggy castle and the West Cliff Lift en route. George Street has a boutique feel with bunting, bric a brac emporiums and tempting sweetshops - cue some fudge purchases - before the lovely parish church of St Clement's steals the scene. The opposite corner is where the Swan pub used to stand until it became a victim of German bombs during The Blitz.
- First In Last Out is a Cardinal -
We won't be able to sample the Swan sadly but two other establishments are in line for our custom, starting with the First In Last Out. The amount of previous Good Beer Guide stickers adorning the front windows is proof enough of its pedigree for serving quality ale, and the fact the place gets packed out with expectant diners within a quarter of an hour of opening likewise suggests we're onto a winner. So it proves with their own microbrewery being responsible for a nectar-like pint of FILO Cardinal Sussex Porter, I'm blown away. The Jenny Lind has a tough act to follow there but comes up trumps with Long Man Best Bitter and a strong commitment to live music. Shanty sessions with Completely Scuppered are their Thursday night staple.
- Beardsmore by the Beach -
More Hastings heritage needs to be rigorously investigated so the fantastic Fishing Quarter is an unmissable attraction. This seafront enclave comprises The Stade and Rock-a-Nore Road complete with tall Net Shops - black mariner shacks unique to Hastings - and a rocky outcrop known as East Hill. There are two museums in the vicinity, one focusing on the fishing industry and the other dealing with shipwrecks, so you can get a sense of Sussex's maritime past. We troop back into the somewhat less glamorous modern town centre, nip into the John Logie Baird Wetherspoons for additional refreshment - it is named after the Scottish engineer recognised as the inventor of the world's first mechancial television set - then Eastbourne beckons once more for our final evening on the South Coast, spent back at the Dolphin attempting their pub quiz (we came joint sixth after an unfortunate wipeout finale). Come Thursday 29th January it's time to head home, enduring A27 traffic due to malfunctioning manholes but still reaching the West Midlands in good order. A special week!
